Rendering of the Stanford Computing and Data Science (CoDa) building created by LMN Architects
An analytical and quantitative foundation for tackling data driven problems in science, industry, and society
B.S. in Data Science
A degree program for students who want to master the foundations of data science in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and optimization, confidently deploying their skills to innovative lines of inquiry.
B.A. in Data Science & Social Systems
A degree program for students who want to work at the intersection of computer science, statistics, and the social sciences to understand human behavior and tackle social problems.
B.A. in Data Science for Artistic and Cultural Analysis
A new program for students who want to integrate computational and statistical methods into humanistic study and artistic practice across disciplines including philosophy, history, literature, art, and cultural studies.
Data Science Minor
Designed for majors in the humanities and social sciences who want to gain practical know-how of statistical data analytic methods as they relate to their field of interest.
Statistics Minor
Designed to complement major degree programs primarily in the social and natural sciences.
Directors' Message
Dear Students,
Welcome! We are glad you are here. The Data Science (B.S.) and Data Science & Social Systems (B.A.) majors are relatively new at Stanford, graduating their first cohort in 2024. These majors were developed to address the growing importance of data science at Stanford and beyond. Work across nearly all domains, from science to industry to government, is becoming more data-driven, affecting both the jobs available and the skills required. As more data becomes accessible, the ability to systematically learn from this data will become even more important.
Our interdisciplinary program is designed to prepare students for this new world. You will take mathematics, computer science, and statistics courses to develop the foundations needed to learn from data, as well as social science courses to appreciate the ethical considerations in the use of data and technology. The major culminates in a capstone that helps you appreciate how the data science you have learned connects to the real world.
In 2025, we moved into the new Computing and Data Science (CoDa) complex to be closer to the many faculty, researchers, and students in other fields who are using data science. CoDa is home to the Data Base (room W139), a collaboration room specifically for undergraduate data science majors.
This year, we are also launching a new subplan in Artistic and Cultural Analysis, focused on applications of data science to the humanities and the arts. The major now covers application areas across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
Please explore our majors and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Let's dive in – there's exciting work to do!
Sincerely,
Dennis Sun, Faculty Director of the Program in Data Science
Mark Algee-Hewitt, Associate Director of the B.A. in Data Science, Artistic and Cultural Analysis
Mallory Nobles, Associate Director of the B.A. in Data Science, Social Systems
Chiara Sabatti, Associate Director of the B.S. in Data Science
Why should students join the data science program?
The Data Science program is an amazing interdisciplinary program for students who are interested in exploring the intersection of various disciplines. The program not only establishes the technical foundation (statistics, computer science, and math) required to address social problems but also cultivates nuanced perspectives to approach these problems in unique ways (i.e. causal inference and optimization).
- Janice Li, Data Science & Social Systems B.A. ‘24
Why should students join the data science program?
I loved the flexibility of the Stanford MCS program, especially the opportunity to take classes from the Statistics, Mathematics, MS&E, and CS departments. This interdisciplinary approach allowed me to combine technical skills from various fields, giving me a well-rounded perspective on data-driven decision-making.
- Emir Kirdan, MCS B.S. ‘24
Why should students join the data science program?
For a tight-knit community, an awesome combination of classes across math, statistics, and computer science, working on project areas most interesting to you, and learning how to tell a story with results.
- Richa Upadhyay, Data Science & Social Systems B.A. ‘24
Events
"When I enrolled at Stanford in 1992 to pursue a PhD in Statistics, I had no idea where my interest in pattern recognition and predictive modeling…
Join us to celebrate our seniors and their academic achievements! Enjoy light refreshments and mingle with graduating Data Science and MCS majors…
News
Jeremy Weinstein is the faculty director of the BA in Data Science and Social Systems and a professor of political science. Mallory Nobles, right, is the program’s associate director. (Image credit: Andrew Brodhead)